Thai Language Bloghttp://blogs.transparent.com/thai
Language and Culture of the Thai-Speaking WorldTue, 15 Aug 2017 19:47:48 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1http://www.transparent.com/learn-thai/http://www.transparent.com/images/logo.pngTransparent LanguageThe White Templehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/transparent/thai/~3/A7DzHMNYIEs/
http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/the-white-temple/#respondTue, 15 Aug 2017 19:47:48 +0000http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/?p=3248Continue reading]]>While you may be “templed out” from your travels in Thailand or other SE Asian countries, make sure you don’t skip out on Wat Rong Khun (วัดร่องขุ่น). It’s commonly referred to as the White Temple, and it’s unlike any temple you’ve ever seen. Here’s a brief introduction to this dreamlike complex, starting with the artist and his purpose.

The Artist

The amazing White Temple.

The White Temple is the brainchild of famous Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat (เฉลิมชัย โฆษิตพิพัฒน์). This unconventional Buddhist/Hindu temple has to be seen to be believed, and you’d be forgiven for wondering whether or not it was dropped from the heavens. As for the choice of color, white stands for Buddha’s purity, while white glass and the reflection it gives off stands for Buddha’s wisdom that “shines brightly all over the Earth and the Universe.”

The Temple Complex

It gets a bit creepy at first.

When your eyes adjust to the sheer brightness of the temple and you get over your initial sense of awe, take a few minutes to look a bit closer at the surroundings. You’ll find some creepy skulls hanging from the tree, evil looking shrines to booze and tobacco, and even a few alien creatures coming out of the water.

Not sure how Alien fits here…

Just before the bridge crossing over to the temple, you’ll find hands reaching up from the ground, some holding skulls. The hands symbolize those things that distract people from the path to Heaven, while the skulls represent those who have faltered on their path by succumbing to such evils. Oh yeah, and there’s a character from the movie “Alien” here as well.

Cross the bridge to Heaven.

Manage to cross the bridge, though, and you’ve made it to Heaven. As the nice man with the loudspeaker reminds you – “Once you’ve crossed the bridge into Heaven, you cannot come back.” If Heaven is anything like the inside of this temple, that’s a good thing – you won’t want to leave once you set your eyes on the stunning murals that adorn the walls inside.

You’ll have to see inside to believe it.

Photography is not allowed, so you’ll just have to go see it for yourself. If you want to know how Spiderman, Hello Kitty, Neo from the Matrix, and George W. Bush somehow fit into the murals of a Buddhist temple, you’d better get here and check it out.

Might be the nicest bathroom ever.

As if visiting this temple wasn’t great enough, they probably have the coolest bathrooms you’ve ever seen.

Future Plans

Work is ongoing at the White Temple.

There’s more to this complex than just the original temple. The artist plans for the project to take nearly 90 years to finish, and he has plenty of apprentices around to ensure that work will continue even after he’s gone.

Unfortunately, an earthquake struck the temple a few years ago. Although the initial reaction was all doom and gloom, it turns out that it wasn’t damaged beyond repair and the artist and his team are pushing forward with this incredible project. If you’re traveling in Northern Thailand, make sure a visit to the White Temple is high atop your list.

Travel Info

It’s free and open every day!

The White Temple is located about 13 kilometers south of Chiang Rai. There are quite a few options for getting there – simply hail a cab, join a tour, or rent your own wheels and get yourself there. It’s open daily from 6:30AM-6PM and is free to visit. There’s also a museum of the artist’s paintings, which is open Monday-Friday from 8AM-5:30PM. As with visiting other temples in Thailand, you should dress properly and be respectful. You can take photos all over the complex, but not inside of the temple.

There are thousands of temples across Thailand, but there’s nothing quite like the White Temple. Be sure to add it to your Northern Thailand itinerary and don’t miss out!

]]>http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/the-white-temple/feed/0http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/the-white-temple/A Guide to the Thai Alphabethttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/transparent/thai/~3/ey7Bs_lI1bY/
http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/a-guide-to-the-thai-alphabet/#respondWed, 12 Jul 2017 20:46:48 +0000http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/?p=3241Continue reading]]>For many learners of Thai, the alphabet is a huge challenge. As a matter of fact, it’s not even an alphabet! Technically, it’s an abugida. In this writing system, each unit is based on a consonant, while the vowel notation is secondary. Here are a few posts and videos that will help you figure out the Thai alphabet… or abugida. Whatever you call it, this is an important step in learning Thai that should not be skipped!

It looks intimidating, but give it a shot.

Consonants

There are 44 consonants in the Thai “alphabet,” and each one is associated with a word that either begins with or uses that consonant. Read more and get a nice chart to help you study, then follow this video that teaches the 44 consonants from a native speaker. The Royal Thai General System for Transcription (RTGS) is used for the Romanization of the Thai script, but as you may notice this is not the best system. There are a variety of systems in use, so it’s best for you to find one that suits you. Even better, just learn the Thai symbols and learn to associate the sounds with them!

For more detailed reading, check out these posts on the three different types of Thai consonants:

Vowels

Thai vowels are a bit tricky, as there are both short and long versions. In addition, the placement of the vowel differs from case to case – they can come before or after a consonant, and they can also be above or below. Read our guide to Thai vowels and then check out another video. We’ve used the special letter อ to show you the placement of the vowels.

While it may seem rather daunting to learn the Thai alphabet, doing so will give you a huge leg up on your quest to master the language. Study these posts, get yourself a chart, watch the videos a few times, and start trying to use it more often. It’s not easy, but you’ll get the hang of it eventually!

]]>http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/a-guide-to-the-thai-alphabet/feed/0http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/a-guide-to-the-thai-alphabet/Video Tour of Thai Street Foodhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/transparent/thai/~3/elcvqp0DLdE/
http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/video-tour-of-thai-street-food/#respondTue, 27 Jun 2017 09:00:04 +0000http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/?p=3237Continue reading]]>Street food has come under attack in Bangkok recently, as the government tries to “clean up” the city by getting rid of countless food vendors. This is very disappointing, as street food is a huge part of the culture of the city (and country, for that matter). Many are upset about this, and rightfully so. Let’s take a look at street food around Thailand in a short video tour.

Mmmm.. street food.

Explore the amazing street food of Thailand, from Bangkok, to Chiang Mai, to the islands, in this short video tour:

]]>http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/video-tour-of-thai-street-food/feed/0http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/video-tour-of-thai-street-food/One Month in Thailand – The Southhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/transparent/thai/~3/YYlVwKLxRCQ/
http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/one-month-in-thailand-the-south/#respondMon, 19 Jun 2017 09:00:57 +0000http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/?p=3235Continue reading]]>With one full month in Thailand, you can start out with some adventures in the north, explore the ancient and current capitals, and wind it all down with an island vacation in the south. That’s precisely where we’re headed in the third and final part of our “One Month in Thailand” video series.

A beautiful island sunset.

Part Three includes the islands of Ko Tao and Ko Pha-Ngan, as well as two popular beach towns on the other coast – Railay and Tonsai. Diving, hiking, partying, and so much more are on tap for the end of an amazing trip.

]]>http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/one-month-in-thailand-the-south/feed/0http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/one-month-in-thailand-the-south/Thai Street Foodhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/transparent/thai/~3/w2M3jr8e154/
http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/thai-street-food/#respondMon, 05 Jun 2017 16:42:29 +0000http://blogs.transparent.com/thai/?p=3223Continue reading]]>Bangkok made headlines recently when it was announced that the city would be banning street food. Citing hygiene and order as their primary concerns, the ruling military government has started to drive street food vendors away. There has been quite a backlash against this policy, from both locals and tourists alike. Indeed, the street food of Bangkok (and Thailand in general) is such an important and unique part of the culture. To honor the street food culture, here are some of the most common dishes that you can enjoy on plastic stools in a crowded Bangkok street.

Pad Thai

ผัดไทย pàt tai

Perhaps the most famous Thai dish.

Let’s start out with what’s probably the most famous Thai dish around the world – Pad Thai. You may be able to find it in restaurants all across the globe, but there’s no comparison to the real thing. Wherever you are in Thailand, you’re never too far away from a tasty plate of Pad Thai.

Pad See Ew

ผัดซีอิ๊ว pàt-see-íw

Image by Ernesto Andrade from flickr.com.

This is a fried noodle dish that uses wide, thin rice noodles. The other key ingredients are bok choy, soy sauce, egg, and maybe some thinly sliced meat.

Papaya Salad

ส้มตำ sôm dtam

Image by Jessica Spengler from flickr.com.

Som tam is a classic Thai street food dish. It consists of shredded green papaya, dried shrimps, tomatoes, peanuts, beans, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and lots of chilies. It covers all five tastes in one dish. Just be warned – it can be so spicy it makes you cry. See how it’s made on a Thai street in this short video:

Chicken/Pork Skewers

ไก่/หมูปิ้ง gài/mŏo bpîng

Image by bob walker from flickr.com.

When it comes to Thai food on the go, it’s hard to beat these tasty meat-sticks. They’re usually served with a dipping sauce that varies from vendor to vendor, along with a bit of sticky rice.

Sour Isaan Sausage

ไส้กรอกอีสาน sâi gròk ee săan

Image by Ron Dollete from flickr.com.

The northeast corner of Thailand known as Isaan is famous for its fermented sausages, which are a popular street food snack all throughout the country. They’re usually served with raw green chillies on the side along with some cabbage, garlic, and maybe ginger.

Fried Rice

ข้าวผัด kâao pàt

Image by jeffreyw from flickr.com.

Simple, cheap, and tasty, you can’t go wrong with some good ole’ fried rice. There are many different varieties, and it’s typically served with some garnishes like cucumber, green onion, and tomato.

Thai Omelette

ไข่เจียว kài jieow

Image by tofuprod.com from flickr.com.

You’ll never look at an omelette the same again after trying one Thai style. It’s usually made with a bit of minced pork and soy sauce and then fried. Learn how to make one yourself by following this recipe from Thai food expert Mark Wiens:

Mango with Sticky Rice

ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง kâao nĭeow má-mûang

Image by Charles Haynes from flickr.com.

Whatever you eat, be sure to save some room for a classic Thai street food dessert. Adding coconut milk to the sticky rice and then topping it with mango makes for a delectable treat that’s sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Let’s hope that these hard-working vendors who feed the masses are not forced to close up shop and that the government realizes how important street food is to the city. For more on the mouth-watering street food in Bangkok, check out this great video: